Kèr Zirqom

Kèr Zirqom (/zir/ /qom/ [fringe] [awful; terrible]) is a subtropical Large Town located in the Vātuchàjù Region of the Tetbur Commune.

The name Kèr Zirqom is derived from the Tauric language, as Kèr Zirqom was founded by Mael Willins, who was culturaly Tauric.

Climate

Kèr Zirqom has a yearly average temperature of 16°C (60°F), with its average temperature during the summer being a pleasant 21°C (69°F) and its average temperature during the winter being a cool 12°C (53°F). Kèr Zirqom receives an average of 241 cm/y (94 in/y) of precipitation, most of which comes in the form of rain during the summer. Kèr Zirqom covers an area of nearly 6 km² (2 mi²), and an average elevation of 2468 m (8097 ft) above sea level.

Overview

Kèr Zirqom was founded durring the late 11th century, by Mael Willins. The establishment of Kèr Zirqom was plagued by a lack of willing colonists. After attempts to pay people to resettle failed Mael Willins struck deals with nearby nations and communities to establish Kèr Zirqom as a prison colony.

Kèr Zirqom was built using the conventions of Tauric durring the late 11th century. Naturaly, all settlmentss have their own look to them, and Kèr Zirqom is no diffrent. The town's buildings feature timber framed wooden shiethed or brick construction, which gives form to a very formalized, rational, expence effishent arcatectural style based on strictly symmetrical designs which universaly feature pitched roofs, shutters, and the occasional column or pilaster for a decorative touch.

Kèr Zirqom is buildings are arranged arround a single spacious baked earthen mainstreet with many smaller streets branching off of it which gives the town a over all rectangular shape, albit one warped and twisted by the nature of the curves of the main road. The town resides behind a palisade wall complete with battlments, a moat, and timber gatehouses with drawbridges. Kèr Zirqom's robustly designed timber walls are suffering from significent damage, so much so that examples can be pointed to no matter which section one might have within their line of site, and most of which render sections inoperable at present.

Kèr Zirqom has the unmistakable air of a town on its last legs. Everything is a bit slipshod and ramshackle. Everyone is at work, or drinking. No one has anything in their eyes other than fear and despair. Whatever industry once fueled Kèr Zirqom ’s existence has dried up and the town is drifting down the stream of history as it dries up.

Civic Infrastructure

Kèr Zirqom has an Office of Civil Groundskeeping, which works to enforce local ordinances relating to the construction and upkeep up of all plant life, water features, and other natural decorations within Kèr Zirqom. They are also responsible for the maintenance of these features. Notably, the OCG is not responsible for Kèr Zirqom's parks.

Kèr Zirqom has an Office of Civil Vicary, which is responsible for providing a livelyhood for all officialy recognised religious figures within Kèr Zirqom.

Kèr Zirqom has a government-funded child care program, overseen by the local Department of Nursemaids, which is responsible for providing childcare to working-class citizens according to local ordinances.

Kèr Zirqom has a Gravedigger's Guild, which is responsible for collecting the dead and laying them to rest according to all applicable laws and religious customs.

Kèr Zirqom has a Department of Firefighters, which is responsible for organizing fire fighting efforts during a fire and enforcing local ordinances relating to fire safety.

Kèr Zirqom has a Highwayman's Guild, which is tasked with maintaining the roads and highways leading into town as well as keeping them safe for travelers.

Kèr Zirqom has a monistary of an order of Civil Monks, who provide divine-related services to the general public and maintain Kèr Zirqom's public wards, blessings, and other arcane systems.

Kèr Zirqom possesses a Galvanic Power Grid, which brings galvanic current to most if not all buildings in town, and permits a great many consumer goods to function within the Large Town. Kèr Zirqom's grid is powered by an arcane means.

Kèr Zirqom possesses an older civil lighting system consisting of street lamps. In spite of the Galvanic Grid, these lights continue to use their old fule sources to provide nighttime illumination to all city streets.

Kèr Zirqom has a Parks and Recreation Department, which is responsible for the construction, management, and usage rights for all of its parks and parklands. They are not to be confused with the Office of Civil Groundskeeping as they do not hold authority over nor responsibility for Kèr Zirqom's natural decorations nor waterways.

Kèr Zirqom has a public schooling program overseen by the Hall of Sages who has the responsibility of ensuring access to affordable high-quality education in all basic classes (Reading, Writing, Mathmatics, General Sciences, General Arcana, and Social Education) is made available to all citizens.

Kèr Zirqom has a public septic system, which allows its citizens to have indoor bathrooms. The septic system is overseen by the League of Sewerkeepers, who posses the legal authority to enforce all laws relating to the septic system, and are also tasked with its maintenance and upkeep.

Cultural Notes

There’s a relatively new religion in Kèr Zirqom which is rapidly gaining power. It might be a sectarian offshoot of a major faith, the unique product of a new prophet, or an outside faith backed by wealthy and powerful foreign supporters. Depending on the demands made on believers, the new faith may be a matter of concern only to the existing clergy, or it might be a major flashpoint for conflict in the community.

Kèr Zirqom's bank was built using a different architectural style from the rest of the town. The style used is characterized by dynamic designs and complex architectural plan forms; intended to heighten feelings of motion and sensuality, and frequently based on the oval. It made extensive and extreme use of: Grandeur, Contrast, Curves and twists, Rich surface treatments, Gilded statuary, Bright colors, Vividly painted ceilings, Fragmented or deliberately incomplete elements, Large-scale frescoes, Dramatic central projections on an external facade, the use of plaster, stucco, or marble finishing, Illusory effects such as trompe l’oeil, and pear-shaped domes. While beloved by the nobility, the common folk tended to despise the style due to the massive consumption of resources required for even a small building constructed in this style.

Due to the actions of local Kami, autumn is skipped in Kèr Zirqom.

The Chicken near Kèr Zirqom are known to be more aggressive than normal.

Kèr Zirqom's citizens partake in a curious ritual relating to their local kami. It takes place in summer and involves reenactments to channel Abjuration energies of tier 2 via oratory performances.

Economy

The following information was obtained via the Imperial Census Bureau as part of the Eyom Economic Outreach Program. It differs from Standard Imperial censuses in that many of Tom's citizens, regardless of culture, work in more than one occupation or hold more than a single job. The Imperial Census Bureau has ruled that a job is a job, hence, the intigers within the data presented here can count an individual more than once.

Kèr Zirqom Census Data: Year 2000

519 of Kèr Zirqom's population work within a Foundational Occupation.

• 32 work in Agriculture
• 115 work as Craftsmen
• 40 work as Merchants
• 85 work as Service Workers
• 51 work as General Laborers
• 18 work as Skilled Laborers
• 76 work as Civil Servants
• 51 work in Cottage Industries
• 24 work as Artists
• 27 work in Produce Industries

989 of Kèr Zirqom's population do not work in a formal occupation, but do contribute to the local economy. 62 (4%) are noncontributers.

Points of Interest

The roads leading into Kèr Zirqom possess a great number of switchbacks. While designed for defense, they mostly wind up pissing everyone trying to take goods to town right the hell off.

POI

History

In time immemorial, reportedly some time during the late 2nd century, Kèr Zirqom was attacked by a renegade group of the army. The details of the conflict are hazy at best due to many conflicting accounts. What is known is Kèr Zirqom lost 248 people, 307 livestock, and 73 buildings. The conflict ended after roughly 31, when members of Kèr Zirqom's militia enacted an operation to transport a specific warchest to a particular mine unharmed. The operation was complicated by a significant percentage of the militia choose to go abandon the operation and return home. The conflict ended with needing to break through the enemy's lines, which ended in a stalemate for Kèr Zirqom's forces. The war is remembered in legend by Kèr Zirqom's bards, historians, and legend keepers.

History